| Description | Printed minutes containing matters laid before Council, the Royal Society's governing body of Fellows, with records of decisions taken.
Commencing with a list of Council members present: the Reverend John Barlow; Thomas Bell; Edward Frankland; John Peter Gassiot; Arthur Henfrey; William Hallows Miller; Sir Roderick Impey Murchison; John Percy; Major-General Edward Sabine; William Sharpey; Archibald Smith; George Gabriel Stokes; Charles Wheatstone; John Wrottesley, 2nd Baron Wrottesley; the President, Benjamin Collins Brodie in the Chair.
Among matters discussed or noted: minutes of the last meeting read and approved. Letter from T.F. Elliot, Downing Street, 19 April 1859, to the President of the Royal Society, full text entered into the minutes: transmitting a copy of a letter from the Governor of New South Wales regarding the preparation of a work of zoology, botany and geology of the colonial empire, and soliciting advice from the Royal Society. Letter from Sir William Denison, Government House, Sydney, 27 December 1858, to Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, full text entered into the minutes: he has just received a work of 24 volumes from the Chilean Government, including its natural history; he suggests an equivalent work on the zoology, botany and geology of the British Colonial Empire, with the costs defrayed by different colonies, and the Imperial Government taking on the task of arranging the resulting material in uniform style. Denison notes that the American States are examining their geology. Because such a project would take many years, and involve many volumes, any such suggestion should emanate from the Imperial Government. Council resolved that the Colonial Ofice communication should be referred to a committee, with membership listed. £25 from the Donation Fund allocated to Mr. Cayley, for calculations relating to physical astronomy. Mr. Gassiot stated that several Fellows intended to promote the raising of a permanent fund, the interest of which would be devoted to the relief of scientific individuals or their families. The suggestion of names for the award of Copley and Royal Medals postponed to the next meeting. List of bills for payment for engraving. |